Re: [boost] question regarding potential boost namespace collisions

From: Douglas Gregor (gregod_at_[hidden])
Date: 2002-02-23 18:53:24

On Saturday 23 February 2002 06:40 pm, you wrote:

> I studying the other boost libraries it seems that all the library
> user callable funcations are added to the namepace boost while
> private functions are added to namespace boost::detail
>
> How does one know that the names he chooses don't collide with any
> others used in the library?  Must one check the whole library?  If
> one wants to use a common name such as "save" are subsquent library
> builders bared from using it  on penalty of creating a collision?

The general scheme seems to be:
  1) names that are 'reasonably unique' can go right into namespace boost. 
Names like 'serialize' and 'deserialize' will likely be unique within boost, 
so they can go into namespace boost. 'Save' is much more likely to be used by 
other libraries, so it should probably be put into boost::serialize to avoid 
future conflicts.
  2) private functions/types/etc. should go into boost::serialize::detail. 
Not all libraries do this, but they probably should.

        Doug